Life without a car…..

| Jen
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Have you ever thought what life would be like if you all of a sudden didn’t have a car. It’s quite fascinating because I’m dealing with this scenario right now.

I find myself thinking, “Oh I need to pick up a gallon of milk on my way home from work. Oh wait, I don’t have a working care anymore!?!?!”.

Well, living without a car isn’t the end of the world. But it takes a different way of thinking about social activities, life with family, going grocery shopping, and most importantly planning way ahead.

Everyone in my family has a bus pass/orca card, but we live without the conveniences of being able to get places quickly, and purchase things when we run out of something at the last second.

We have been purchasing groceries using Instacart. It’s been convenient, and a learning experience. For those of you who are not familiar with instacart, it’s a website where you pick available stores (who have partnered with instacart) to shop from. You add grocery or household items to your cart. You can pick a window of time to have those grocery items delivered. About an hour before your grocery items are scheduled to be delivered, someone picks items from your order (and through the website you can communicate via text with the person shopping for you), and when they have completed shopping for your items, they pay for them, and then checkout. You can also track your grocery delivery through the website in real time. A really cool feature is that you have the option to choose alternate items if an item you chose is out of stock or if the shopper is unable to find it. The shopper will send a text and you will get a notification of the alternate item and you will need to approve or reject the alternate item choice. If you reject the item, the money gets refunded to your card.

Overall it’s been a pleasant experience. We had a few hilarious moments of lessons learned. For instance, we picked out some hot dog buns, and I asked the shopper via text if the pack was a 4-pack of buns or 8-pack of buns. He said 4-pack so I told him that i wanted 3 packages of buns. Well when all was delivered, we ended up with 32 buns in total and they were actually an 8-pack of buns. Another time, we ordered granny smith apples. The funny thing with ordering items that need to be weighed is that you have to estimate the number of pounds you would like to purchase. Well I put in I wanted 3lbs of granny smith apples. I ended up with 3 granny smith apples. Which is not nearly enough apples for my family for a week! So if you do purchase items in bulk overestimate the pounds you are seeking otherwise you may wind up with too little of what you needed.

I would love to hear your thoughts and or tips and tricks for Instacart! Please leave a comment below and let me know your experiences with online grocery shopping and what services you use! Or if you are in a similar situation (without a car) and how you are adjusting to life without a car.

Health Coaching Update

| Jen

I really enjoy meeting new people and hearing their stories. It’s always inspiring to hear how people manage with the ups and downs life throws at you, and still manage to keep things together.

Health Coaching for me is no different. During the day I am an Academic Advisor but in my down time I am a certified Health Coach. I help clients navigate the ups and downs in their life. I celebrate the great things with them, and help them through the tough times and help them manage their health through stressful times. It’s a really rewarding process for them and for me to see the take control of their health or their families health over a six months time frame.

Here’s a graphic explaining some of what a health coach can do for you.

If you are interested in a free wellness assessment, feel free to get in touch with me. 😀

A Heat Wave is a coming…

| Jen

Wow, here in Seattle it’s expected to reach into the high 90’s on sunday! I don’t know about you but to me that is too hot! Especially since summer has just begun! Our weather lately has been pretty mild until now. I can see a lot of popsicles in my near future to try to beat this heat. What’s your favorite way to beat the heat? Tell me in the comments below!

It’s been a while….

| Jen

Hey folks!

It’s certainly been a while since I have posted to my blog. I’m currently working full-time, plus juggling a full-time certification course as well as trying to keep up with my social life as well. How do I manage this all? Not very well apparently. I probably need a crash course in being organized and keeping to my deadlines and projects. Does this resonate with you?
Continue reading →

Learn to Take Better Photos – Ultimate Photography Bundle 2017 is here!

| Jen

I don’t know about you, but my photography skills never seem up to par. Family events, vacations/travel photos, food photography are all things I love to take photos of. However, the cost of getting the right training, buying lenses, a decent camera, knowing how to pose and manipulate light are all daunting too me. It seems like I was always missing the shot, the photographs turned out too dark or blurry or I didn’t know how to pose or compose the photograph correctly to make it look interesting.

That’s why I purchased the Ultimate Photography Bundle 2017.

Ultimate Photography Bundle 2017

upb17_product_shotWhat do you get when you put together 32 world-class photography instructors + 41 of their most essential and invaluable teaching resources?

The Ultimate Photography Bundle, back by popular demand for its second and best year ever!

Here’s the thing: Expert photography instruction isn’t easy to come by, particularly when you’re on a budget.

It can already feel a bit daunting to have the camera, the lenses, the software and everything else you need, but then to think about forking about big bucks on expensive courses and books? Forget about it.

But what if, just for one blissful week, all the resources you’ve had your eye on (and then some) came together in one magical package, for the most affordable price ever? Well, you’re in luck, because that’s exactly what’s happening and I’m telling you, this bundle is AMAZING.

The Ultimate Photography Bundle includes 10 eCourses, 16 eBooks, 4 videos, and 11 practical tools (like editing presets and printable reference cards).

These top-quality resources cover all the topics that matter to the serious photographer… camera essentials, editing, family photography, inspiration & style, landscape, wedding photography, niche photography, and the business of photography.

Altogether, it’s worth a mind-blowing $4100 but you pay just $97. Can you believe it?

With these 41 world-class products you’ll learn how to:

  • find perfect lighting every time
  • consistently pose and shoot pro-quality portraits
  • capture stunning landscapes
  • edit and organize like the experts
  • build a thriving photography business
  • and finally start taking the photos you’ve always dreamed of.

What’s even better is that you will be learning from the creme of the crop, top instructors in the photography industry. I mean, we’re talking about Jeremy Cowart, David Molnar, Zach and Jody Gray, Katelyn James, Click it up a Notch, Cole’s Classroom, Tamara Lackey, and so many more.

So why on earth would these big-name photographers put their very best products into such a discounted package?

Because they’re all passionate about the same thing… coming together to equip, empower and educate a new generation of aspiring photographers and helping them pursue their dreams. By joining forces and doing it together, they can help so many more people than they could on their own!

I am just honored to join such an elite group of photography teachers on this project, and to be able to share it with all of you!

For instance, The Photo Fix by Kyle Shultz ($199.00)  is a course I am ready to jump in on and to learn to fix my bad family photos. This course is included with the bundle and is worth the price of the whole entire bundle. But…..

There’s just one catch… a deal this good can’t last forever. They all agreed that the bundle would be available for six days only, and then it will disappear.

Which is why you should absolutely learn more and check out everything that’s included, but there’s just one thing you really can’t do and that’s wait. I’d hate for you to miss out on this!

If you’re ready to get your own Ultimate Photography Bundle, go here right now and grab it!

If you’d like to learn more about the specific resources it includes (I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!) then by all means, go here and check it out in detail.

Don’t forget—the bundle goes off sale on Monday, February 27th, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. EST. And if you’re still on the fence, there’s really no risk in getting it anyways because they’ve got a full 30-day happiness guarantee.

 

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Easy Zucchini Tater Tot Recipe

| Jen

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Change up your tater tots for a simple new zucchini twist! These are awesome for game day appetizers, brunches and casual cocktail parties.

For the Tots:

 INGREDIENTS

3  cups grated zucchini (tightly packed)

1  egg

1 1/2  cups instant mashed potatoes
1  teaspoon salt and pepper
1  cup coconut oil (for pan frying)

For dipping:

1/2  cup ranch dressing

DIRECTIONS

  • In a large bowl, stir together grated zucchini, egg, instant mashed potatoes, salt and pepper. Mix until a soft dough forms.
  • Heat coconut oil and olive oil over medium heat in a small pot or deep-sided skillet. Using a mini cookie scoop, drop zucchini mixture into the hot coconut oil, frying until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Flip with metal tongs, if needed, to ensure even cooking.
  • Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. Serve warm with ranch dressing for dipping.

5 Ingredient Granola Bars

| Jen

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5 Ingredient Granola Bars

Yields: 12 BARS
Prep time: 5 MINUTES
Total time: 50 MINUTES

Ingredients:

2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup almond butter
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup honey
Optional: salt and cinnamon, to taste

Directions:

1. Combine the oats, almond butter, almonds, chocolate chips and honey in a medium size bowl. Stir until well combined. Add more honey if needed and salt and cinnamon, to taste.

2. Line a 8×8 pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to fall over the edges. Press the oat mixture into the pan.

3. Place in the freezer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until firm. Remove paper from pan and then cut the large square in half. Then cut each half into 6 rectangles.

4. Wrap bars individually with parchment paper or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator or freezer.

You can substitute the chocolate chips for dried cranberries. Or you can also use peanut butter and different nuts such as peanut or cashews.

Additional mix-ins: 1/8 cup flax seed meal, 1/8 cup chia seeds, 1/8 cup sunflower seeds.

Note: Add a Tablespoon more honey for each addition.

Let me know how you like them!

These are perfect for those busy days, when you are hankering to eat something quick, yet healthy for you. My daughter loves these for her school snack!

Pranks and April Fools!

| Jen

Pranksters unite! Today is April 1st, and it’s prime time for April Fools day jokes. I arrived to work to see a coworkers keyboard and monitors covered in foil! I am surrounded by clever jokers!

I actually thought about doing what is depicted below in the picture for April Fools day. Then I was thinking if someone is half asleep it might not go well!

Have you pulled any April Fools pranks on your family or coworkers? What was your favorite prank/joke and what was their reaction (all in good humor, of course)? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

April Fools Joke